5 Reasons Why the San Antonio Spurs Dominated the Miami Heat

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The 2014 NBA Finals were predicted to be another epic series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat. Instead, the Spurs dominated the Heat, leaving no room for another letdown in the waning moments of a Game 7 like last year's NBA Finals. In the end, San Antonio left no doubt about it that they were the best team in the NBA this year.

5. Energy and Resilience

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5. Energy and Resilience

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As the 2014 NBA Finals went along, the San Antonio Spurs just seemed to be the team with more energy. Deemed as "too old" for the past several years, the Spurs consistently beat the Heat in transition and off the dribble. Throughout the series, it was clear that Miami was exhausted mentally and physically. Several Heat players exuded poor body language during the series, revealing this notion as well.

4. San Antonio's Focus on Avenging Last Year's Loss

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4. San Antonio's Focus on Avenging Last Year's Loss

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After last year's NBA Finals loss to the Miami Heat, the San Antonio Spurs refocused on coming back stronger. As shown in one of the most lopsided NBA Finals in history, San Antonio certainly accomplished their goal. The Spurs were better in nearly every aspect this time around, and Miami struggled to compete with the team they had beaten last year in seven games.

3. Bench Scoring

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3. Bench Scoring

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The bench scoring in this series was extremely lopsided. Even when Boris Diaw got the nod in the starting lineup, the Spurs' bench still made a large impact. The likes of Manu Ginobili, Patty Mills and Tiago Splitter all made major contributions. On the other side, Ray Allen was really the only consistent bench-option for the Heat, until he jumped into the starting lineup in Game 5.

2. Coaching

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2. Coaching

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The battle between head coach Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra was clearly won by San Antonio, who may have won the series by replacing Splitter with Boris Diaw in the starting lineup. This championship cemented his status as one of the best NBA head coaches of all time. The Spurs were much better prepared, and their execution on offense and defense was superior.

1. Spurs' Ball Movement and Offensive Efficiency

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1. Spurs' Ball Movement and Offensive Efficiency

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The Spurs' offense was historical during this series, unselfishly and efficiently swinging the ball from one side of the court to the other. On the other hand, Miami's offense looked like a one-man show, constantly winding up in LeBron James' hands with the shot-clock near zero. Miami simply could not guard the Spurs' plethora of offensive weapons and versatility, while the Heat offense made it easy for San Antonio to guard Miami.